SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

"
Wherefore
" *
"
THE AIVA RELIGION. 293
disappearing just as the imagined snake does as soon as the
light of true knowledge has risen. But this is certainly not the
impression left on the mind by a comprehensive review of the
Upanishats which dwells on their general scope, and does not
confine itself to the undue urging of what may be implied in
some detached passages &c. M
Says Professor Max Muller in his Life of Ramakrishna
Parama Hamsa : It is difficult to say which of the two schools
was the more ancient and I am bound to acknowledge after
Professor Thibaut s luminous exposition that Visistadvaita
interpretation is more in keeping
with the Sutras of Badarayana."
Sri Nilakantha Sivacharya in his Bhashya quotes, with
approval, this beautiful text from the Upanishats. Apivayas
chandalah Siva iti vacham vadet tena saha samvadet, t6na
saha samvast, tena saha bhunjit which means: "A chandala
though a person is, if he utters the name Siva, converse
with him, live with him, dine with him ".
the whole universe is ensouled by Siva. If
any embodied being whatsoever be subjected to constraint, it
will be quite repugnant to the eight bodied Lord ;
as to this
there is no doubt. Doing good to all, kindness to all, affording
shelter to all,
this they hold as the worshipping of Siva,"
During the Buddhist and Jaina period, it was Saivaism ,
that was able to rise above the onslaught of these two creeds
and vanquish them. The rise of the great Acharyas, St. Jfiana-
Sambandar, St. Appar, St. Sundarar and St. Manikkavacagar
was in this period. By the close of the ninth century, both
Buddhism and Jainism had become inert and dead.
The next few centuries saw the rise of the great teachers ^
Sri Sankara, Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhvacharya. Following
them;close, came the great Santana Acharyas, St. MeykandanJ
The author of Sivajniinabodha